Sleep is one of the most essential activities of our life that we are required to do properly. Doctors advise getting six to eight hours of sleep each night. However, there are people who don't sleep properly and attain an improper sleep schedule. The way sleeping less affects our body and mind, sleeping more/oversleeping also has some dangerous consequences of its own. Therefore, we all must follow a proper sleep schedule everyday. In recent times due to the prevailing pandemic situation worldwide, most of the people face sleep issues at night and their sleep cycle is disrupted, this is very common in today's time.
Some of the causes of a messed up sleep cycle are increased screen time due to working from home, oddly timed meals, anxiety and other mental health issues. These issues lead to poor productivity, dizziness and heaviness of the head during the day. It is important to have enough sleep not only because it makes us feel good and raises productivity but also it reduces the possibility of contracting a viral disease by one - third.
Some effective ways to reset your sleep schedule and get it back on track:
1. Exposure to Sunlight: Try to spend 15-30 minutes in the morning sunlight as it helps in maintaining the circadian rhythm which keeps you awake in daytime and helps in sleeping at night.
2. Proper eating schedule: You must eat food at proper times as eating food at odd times affects our sleeping habits too. Try not to eat anything two hours before bedtime. Also, avoid caffeine or simply drinking coffee before eight hours of bed time. It means don't drink coffee after 2 pm if you want to sleep by 10 pm.
3. Physical work/exercise: Try to do some physical work or exercise in the daytime. It can be a 30 minutes walk or pushups. This helps you fall asleep faster
4. Don't take naps: Avoid naps in the afternoon time so that you don't face any difficulty in falling asleep at night.
5. Don't use mobile/computers before sleep: Mobiles and computers emit blue light which affects our sleep cycle. It can suppress the secretion of melatonin (the hormone that controls our sleep pattern).
Written by: Keshav Sharma
Edited by: Aarushi Sharma
Uploaded by: Aadi Kanchankar